Michael Reed, litigation partner, acted recently for the leader of the Conservative Group on Northumberland County Council in pursuing Ronnie Campbell, veteran MP for Blyth Valley, concerning defamatory statements made by Mr Campbell which went on to be reported in the local press. Mr Campbell was represented initially by North East firm Browell Smith & Co and latterly by RPC, expensive and specialist London libel lawyers.
We successfully achieved justice for Councillor Jackson by way of Mr Campbell apologising for his libellous comments. This apology was also published in the local press so as to undo so far as possible the damage caused by Mr Campbell’s original conduct.
A copy of the article detailing Mr Campbell’s apology which appeared in the Newcastle Journal and Evening Chronicle on Saturday 28 March can be found at the link below:
Michael commented as follows:
“I am pleased that Mr Campbell has apologised for the comments he made on 5 November 2014 in a press release, and which were reported in the Journal on 6 November 2014.
Members of the public rightly expect robust debate between politicians, but Mr Campbell’s recent remarks regarding Cllr Jackson crossed the line of what is permitted, and so it is right and a credit to him that he has apologised. Hopefully both Cllr Jackson and Mr Campbell can now put this matter behind them”.